Great, Britain!

Industries in Great Britain have surpassed goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by almost three times national targets and almost twice international obligations, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs announced this week. In 2000, the British government signed 10-year climate change agreements (CCAs) with 44 industries (including steel, aluminum, cement, chemicals, paper, and food and drink) representing over 5,000 companies. In 2002, carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 13.5 million metric tons, 10 million tons more than the CCA targets. The struggling steel industry was responsible for the majority of the emissions decreases, but other industries beat their own targets as well. Environment Minister Michael Meacher said the country would exceed the 12.5 percent emissions reductions mandated by the Kyoto Protocol by 2020, and was on target to see a reduction of almost double that, at 23 percent.

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